Ice-making apparatus and process.



W. H. MANNS.

ICE MAKING APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7. mo.-

Parented Nov. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. H. MANNS.

ICE MAKING'APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

APPLICATION ruco mm. 1. I910.

1,159,058 Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mib.

W. H. MANNS.

{CE MAKING APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

Patentd Nov. 2, 1915.

APPLICATION HLEOJIIAR. 1. l9l0..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A A A A A awe/14m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. MANNS, OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FRIOK COMPANY, OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION.

ICE-MAKIN G APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \ViLLL-mr H. Mamas, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVa'ynesboro, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Making Apparatus and Processes, of which the following is a specification.

i sin1ilai"reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of an ice freezing tank and adjacent parts embodying my improved system, portions being broken out, so that only short sections at each end of each tankiare shown, for the purpose. of enabling the parts to be illus- 1 l trated on as large a scale as possible, and part of theccover being removed to show 3 the interior structure, Fig. 2 a view partly j in longitudinal section and partly in side I elevation of the apparatus as shown in Fig. "1,.l ig. 3 a detail section on an enlarged scale 1 through a freezing 'cell and the ad acent f freezingiplates, illustratingthe parts more i clearly, Fig. el a side 'elevation of a portion of a cake 'of-iccas after removed from the freezin" cell Fi 5 a side elevation of one I a: ,7 r: v of the anchor plates, 1 1g. b a cross section through the freezing tank on a line passing through a freezing plate or brine cell. Fi 7 a similar view through the freezingce ll showing the thaw pi pes. and 'llig. 8 a similar view through the freezing cell showing the air agitating pipes and anchor plates as position for the freezing operation.

The general.construction of the freezing I The brine cells (J and C side, plates connected by :from-w hich they 7 ,tankJThe side platesof each of the several tank and otheraparts of the apparatus "is, or may be, ofa well known or any approved form suitable for this system of freezing. are composed of, bottom' plates extend to the top of the gbriae cells stand somewhat at an angle, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1910.

Serial No. 547,717.

cells being slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom, so-that the freezing'cells between said brine cells are slightly narrower at the bottom than at the top. The end brine cells C are formed with their outside plates vertical and their inner plates inclined and the other intervals throughout the length of the freezing tank are inclined on both sides, as shown. This form of the brine cells pro vides a freezing cell between them from which the cake of ice, after being frozen, can be more readily removed. cent sides of the brine cells are that distance apart which is desired shall be the full thickness of the cake of ice. apparatus is arranged to freeze ice 12 inches thick, 12 feet long and 35; feet high.

In Fig. 8 I have shown five space and anchor plates 1, 2, 3, 4 and which in the operation, are frozen into the cake and are intended to serve as a ready means for dividing the cake into 6 equal "parts as well as anchors to which means may be attached for lifting the cake out of the freezing tank, eyes being formed on the top end of p ates 1 and 5 for this purpose. Said plates are each formed with large central openings or slotstopermit the horizontal circulation of the water, scribed. I have shown two freezing tanks separated by a narrow space or partition P, and filters F are arranged at the adjacent ends of each tank. A In Fig. 1 I have indicated a cold brine tank 10, 12,. a warm brine tank 13,11 warm brine pump ll and a system'ot pipes leading to the brine cells, freezing cells, and filters, whereby water is supplied, filtered, agitated and the freezing medium provided for the operationas-yqdl now be outlined. The water to be frozen is supplied to: the freezing cells through the header and branch pipes 25. It is circulated by the operation of'the pump 21 which draws it from the Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

brine cells C located at i The adj a- As shown, the

as will be hereinafter dea cold brine pump 11, a brine cooler the bottom of each freezing cell and formed -with "-perforations at whichthe air can escape upwardly into the intervals through "aterand rise in the form of bubbles to its "si.irface.keeping the water agitated and caus- 52m by'such agitation, the precipitation of.

any sediment or impurities therein. The

:vertical agitation by the "air and the cross v, zigitation or circulation of the water by 10,

"and sediment to be deposited in the bottom means of the pump 21' causes the impurities of the freezing cell and be carried by the cross circulation out of the freezing cell and into the filters where such impurities are re-' moved and the filtered water returned, thus insuring-the freezing of clear andperfect 'ice. The brine is forced by the cold brine "pump 11 from the cold brine tank 1 32 into one end of the brine tank and over-l flows from the opposite end through a branch pipe 33 into a header 3% which con-- nects to a return pipe 35 leading back to the cold brine tank 10. The .freezing process in the apparatus shown iscarried onby the circulation of the cold brine as above outlined. -The freezing continues until the ice formed on the sides. pf. the adjacent plates of the adjacent bnine cells meets in the center of the freezing cells and the two formations join and freeze solidly together forming a solid block of ice filling each freezing cell from side'to side. Said ice may then be freed from the freezing: plate by stopping pump 11 and discontinuing the circulation of the freezing medium and forcing the warm brine, by means of pump 14, from the warm brine tanlcl3 through the pipe 16 into the header 30. Thawpipes 40 also are connected by branch pipes 41 with header 30 being prosrided with valves 42 by which communication with said header may be cut off or established as desired. ()ne of said pipes 40 extends down behind the-end plate of each freezing cell on, one side thereof across to the opposite end of said cell beneath the bottom plate of said freezing cell, then up behind the plate at the opposite end of said freezing cell, onone side thereof,

ing point parallel with the first described branch but near the opposite side of the plates. After the freezing operation is concluded the cold brine pump 11 is stopped, the Valve closed between the pipes leading from the brine cooler to header 30 and the cold'brine allowed to flow out of the brine cells (when forced out by the inflow of other brine) through header 34 and pipe 4-4 back into the cold brine tank which is. located on a level below said-brine cells. The valves are then openedto establish communication between the warm brine supply pipe 16 and header 30 and the thaw pipes 40. The warm brine pump l-l isthen started and the warm brine circulated through the-brine cells andthaw pipes 40 until the blocks office are thawed free from the plates forming the walls and bottomof the freezing cells. The

commonly an ordinary crane provided for the purpose is then connected with the eyes in the tops of the anchor plates 1 and and the blocks of ice are hoisted out of the-freezing cells and carried totheplace of storage. or use, inany ordinary or approved mauneiz.

Thaw, )i )es v-ll) are )referablv cm )tied during the freezing operation.

By s method and apparatus 100 may be frozen into sohdblocks of pre-determined dimensions and weight in approxiinatcly.

one-third thetinie required by the process heretofore:commonly in use. inasmuch as the lifting and carrier mechanism, which is freezin continuesumtil a solid block isformedentirely filling said cell, and this ro- "sult is made possible by the provision for the agitation ofthe ater which maintains the freezing thereof while the water is in actiye circulation and under conditions such as cinninon'ly prevail in the freezing of natural ice. The formation of the freezing cells enables the freezing to continue until said cells 'aresolidly frozen and renders the removal of the solid blocks practical and of ready accomplishment.

Having thus fully described my said invention,,what I'claini as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An ice making a 'iparatuscomprising a freezing tank divided into brine cells and freezing cells, said 'freezing cells being formed slightly flared from theirbottoms; to their tops. a system for circulating the freezing medium and thawing u'iediun'r through said apparatus, and .means for supplying water to said freezing cells between the converging walls thereof andimparting and maintaining a horizontal flow of the water be tween said'cells during the process of freezing, substantially as set forth;

2. An ice making apparatus comprising a freezing tank, ice freezing cells formed tlltlt.

in between vertical freezing plates or brine cells, means for supplying water to the freezwhere It, turns and is returned to the starting cells and circulating the same horizon;

tally therein, means for circulating a freezng medium, means for circulating a thawing medium, and an ail-agitating s \;'stem com-- tem for the freezing cells comprising a system on one side Of the tank for supplying said water and a system of .pipes on the opposite side for drainingsaid water from said cells, means for maintaining a cir- Qculation of saidwater through said pipes and horizontally through said. cells, and an air agitating system comprising perforated pipes located in the bottom of the freezing p y P p means for circulating a freezing medium through said freezing plate, means for circulating a thawingmedium around said freezing cells, an air'agitating system arranged todischarge inlthe bottom of said freezing A cells and a water circulating system arranged to circulate the water horizontally through said freezing cells, substantially as set forth.

5. -An ice makin freezingtank divi ed into freezingcells by -hollow freezing plates or brine cells, mcans for circulating a freezing medium through apparatus comprising 'a i said freezing plates, means for circulating a thawing medium around said freezing cells, means for circulating the water to be 1. horizontally through said freezingscells, and

{means for agitating said water vertically by discharging air under pressure into the bottom of said freezing cells, substantially freezing tank, freezing plates or brine cells,

as set forth.

6. An ice making apparatus comprising a arranged transversely. acrosssaid freezing tank at intervals throughout its length, a

freezing medium" supply system, a thawing medium supply system, and air fagitating system arranged to discharge into the bot:

tom of the freezing cells, a water sup 1 jsvstem for "said freezing CBHSCOIIIPX'ISIIIg I filters, and means for circulating the water i from said filters through said freeging cells and back through said filters, sub

tntially f as set forth.

7. An ice making apparatus comprising a freezing tank divided into freezing cells by vertical freezing plates, means for conducting a freezing medium, means for con- \fducting a thawing medium around said freezing cells, a water system for circulating water horizontally thrl1gh each of said freezing cells separately, means for agitating the water in a direction substantially at right angles to the circulation thereof, and filters interposed in said system between the l discliarge from said freezing cells at one side and the inlet to saidfreezing cells at the opposite side, substantially as set forth.

8. An ice making apparatus comprising a freezing tank divided into freezing cells by freezing plates arranged a distance apart equal to the thickness of the block of ice to be formed, means for conducting a freezing medium through said freezing plates, means for conducting a thawing medium around said freezing cells, and means for agitating the water to be frozen in saidfrcezing cells comprising a pipe with perforations in its top located in the bottom of said freezing cells and connected with an air supply, sub- --stantially as set forth.

means for conducting a thawing mediumaround said freezing cells, anchor plates located at intervals in each of said freezing cells, part of said plates being formed with means for attachment thereto, and means for circulating the water to be frozen .through said freezing cells, substantially as set forth. i

, 10. The process of forming ice, which consists in actively circulating the water to be frozen in one direction through the freezing cells of an ice making apparatus and directing air throughsaid circulating water in a direction across the direction of its circulation and substantially at right angles thereto, whereby said water is agitated during the freezing operation, substantially as horizontally through the freezing cells ofa freezin tank of an ce making apparatus and agitating said wl charging airvupwardlv therethrough from thebottom of the freezing cells, substantially as set forth.

ter vertically by dis-,

12. The process of forming ice comprising the circulation of the. water to be frozen in a horizontal direction between the freezing plates in the freezing tank of an ice making apparatus and the agitation of said water by discharging airunder pressure in a'vertical'direction from the bottom of said freezing tank, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at W gnesboro, Pennsylvania this 23rd day of F ruary, A. 1). nineteen hundred and ten.

WILLIAM H. MANNS. [n.sIl

Witnesses:

' ROLAND (J. WALLOWER,

S. F. WORKMAN. 

